How did you start making live wedding paintings?
My art journey started in middle school, when I started making pencil-drawn portraits of some of my favorite movie characters. I realized, with close attention to detail, that I could draw people’s faces recognizably. This jump-started my personal study of anatomy, portraiture, and art mediums. I took every art class I could throughout middle school and high school, and eventually studied painting at Indiana Wesleyan University and received my bachelor’s degree in Painting.
I spent one valuable summer drawing chalk portraits at Cedar Pointe, which was a crash course in speed and individual likenesses, since we had to finish a realistic, profile chalk drawing in 5 minutes. I then studied design, portraiture, and narrative painting in Orvieto, Italy, which was transformative for my painting journey. After finishing college, I have a working knowledge of many media and art disciplines: chalk, charcoal, pencil, acrylic, watercolor, oils, drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, ceramics, sculpture, graphic design, and art history.
Starting my Live Wedding Painting adventure in early 2022 was an alignment of years of accumulating skills, a passion for painting people, a rise in live wedding paintings on social media, and the perfect timing of a career change.
What's your favorite thing about Live Wedding Paintings?
My favorite thing about live painting is taking everything I see and using it to create a stunning painting. I approach every wedding as an artistic problem that needs to be solved. I come prepared with notes about what the bride and groom's wishes, the venue, and the moment they want captured. When I arrive and see the space, the real magic starts. I consider every visual element: the height and width of the room, architectural detail, the wedding decor, floral arrangements, event lighting, windows, the time of day, the projected angle of the sun, water features, trees and shrubs, flowers, the color of the walls, floor, and ceiling, and then, I start to visualize the composition. Every detail that goes on the canvas is completely intentional. Not only am I capturing a realistic portrayal of the wedded couple and the venue, but I am also creating a piece of art that has beauty in the shape, rhythm, lines, colors, and in the expression of the paint.
What's your art style?
I paint with an illustrative quality that is whimsical and romantic, heavily influenced by Impressionism. I love to capture a realistic portrayal of the couple and the space, but also showcase the excitement of a wedding with exaggerated color and lighting. Exploring and using color theory is one of my favorite things about painting.
What materials do you use?
Acrylic on canvas is the only medium that I paint with when I travel. Modern acrylics are incredibly versatile and high quality. I prefer Golden and Liquitex Heavy Body acrylic paints. These dry quickly, allowing me to build up layers without a long dry time. I can accomplish many textures and finishes with this paint: lace, silk, tulle, skin, hair, metals, wood, glass, stone, grass, feathers, etc.
What conditions can you paint in? Does the weather affect your process?
I can work in most conditions, excluding severe weather. I’ve painted in rain, hot sun, high humidity, and wind, indoors, outdoors, at lakes, farms, historic estates, ballrooms, hotels, and museums, in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, in cities, the country, and everything in between. While weather does affect how the paint interacts, heat and sun dry it very quickly, and high humidity takes longer to dry, I bring tools to help mitigate these environmental factors, like a spray bottle of water to keep layers wet when needed, and a small fan to help dry if it's extra humid.
When do you arrive at a wedding? What do you bring?
I arrive at least 3 hours before the ceremony to take in the space and set up. I bring everything I need to complete the painting - my easel, a comfortable stool, extension cords, professional easel lighting, brushes, paints, varnish, and a backup canvas. I begin painting the background as soon as possible, and if I’m painting the ceremony, I try to have as much of it done before the ceremony so I can focus on the couple during the reception.
When will the painting be done? How will I receive my painting if it's not finished?
I complete 90% or more of my wedding paintings on site, and the couples take them home that night! I send my paintings home in a heavy-duty box that will protect the paintings during transport. If I’m unable to finish the painting at the wedding, I will take it home to my studio and finish it over the next 4 weeks. Then, I prefer to deliver in person, if I can, or I will ship the painting if needed.
What if I need to cancel my painting? What's your policy?
I understand that sometimes the decision is made to cancel a wedding, change a date, or that budget constraints influence what can happen at a wedding. Please let me know as soon as you can if you need to cancel your live painting. The 25% deposit to save your date is non-refundable, but anything you've paid beyond that is refundable until 7 days before the wedding. If a wedding is cancelled on the day of, I will still need to be paid in full and will happily transfer the payment to another painting for the client.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
123-456-7890